This application relates to imaging systems, and more particularly, imaging systems with depth detection capabilities.
Imaging systems are commonly used in electronic devices such as cellular telephones, cameras, and computers to capture images. In a typical arrangement, an electronic device is provided with an array of image pixels arranged in pixel rows and pixel columns. The image pixels contain a photodiode for generating charge in response to light. Circuitry is commonly coupled to each pixel column for reading out image signals from the image pixels. A color filter element typically covers each photodiode.
In some applications, it may be desirable to determine the distance between the imaging system and an object in a scene that the imaging system is capturing as an image. Conventional systems typically use a sensor separate from the array of image pixels to make depth measurements of this type, or may require a separate light source to illuminate the scene while measuring the reflected light for depth sensing. These arrangements, however, require implementing additional hardware into the imaging system and can result in increases in the size and power consumption of the imaging system.
It would therefore be desirable to provide imaging systems with improved depth detection capabilities.